NEW YORK, April 9, 2014—IMG Licensing, a division of global sports, fashion and media company IMG Worldwide, and UniWorld Group, the longest-standing multi-cultural marketing communications agency, have partnered to expand the Def Jam Enterprises’ brands into new licensing and marketing opportunities.
“Def Jam is a power house brand in the music industry and has launched the careers of many stand-up comedians and poets. Def Jam is definitely a recognizable global brand and influential name in pop culture. With IMG’s global licensing capabilities and UniWorld’s brand stewardship, we believe a substantial consumer products business can be built around Def Jam,” said Robert Strand, Vice President of IMG Licensing and WPP partnership liaison.
“We are extremely excited to expand our relationship with Russell Simmons and Def Jam Enterprises to include our WPP Partner, IMG Licensing,” said Monique Nelson, UniWorld Group’s Chairman and CEO. “Our agency continues to be a trendsetter within the industry, connecting forward-thinking brands like, Def Jam, to the spending power of multicultural consumers worldwide. This expansion is yet another example of our agency working to remain on the cutting-edge of what’s next when it comes to brand-building and tapping into multicultural consumers,” said Nelson.
Belviana Todmann, Senior Vice President at Uniworld Group added, “This collaboration is the first of our newly launched Global Brand Licensing division, allowing us to unite our strength in connecting the culture of brands to the culture of consumers together with IMG’s experience in extending brands beyond their core offerings.”
“As we continue to celebrate Def Jam Enterprises’ 30th anniversary, we are extremely excited to launch our long-term partnership with IMG and UniWorld,” said Russell Simmons. “This partnership is a fantastic opportunity to expand the Def Jam brand into new categories and deepen our connection with consumers globally,” said Myorr Janha, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Rush Communications/Def Jam Enterprises.
About IMG Licensing
IMG is the premier brand licensing company in the world with properties that represent more than $8 billion in global retail sales. With more than 50 years of experience, IMG Licensing, a division of global sports, fashion, and media leader IMG Worldwide, provides unparalleled licensing resources and services to build and market existing and emerging brands. IMG Licensing currently represents some of the top global sports, entertainment, and lifestyle brands in the world. IMG has been ranked the No. 1 Licensing Agency by License! Global Magazine in its annual Top 20 ranking since 2009.
In 2011 IMG Worldwide and WPP signed a multi-year agreement to establish a joint team and share resources to offer and provide licensing services to clients from WPP’s portfolio of agencies. More information is available at img.com.
About UniWorld Group, Inc.
Founded in 1969 by Byron Lewis, UniWorld Group, Inc., is the longest-standing full-service multicultural marketing agency. The agency continues to be a trendsetter, poised to connect forward-thinking brands to the spending power of multicultural consumers while pushing the envelope with innovative ideas and fresh solutions for the general market as well. WPP, a world leader in communications, is also a minority shareowner in UniWorld Group. For more information on UniWorld Group, Inc., visit www.uniworldgroup.com. UniWorld Group recently launched a new Global Brand Licensing division, a strategic partnership with IMG Licensing.
About Def Jam Enterprises, LLC Def Jam Enterprises, LLC pursues new, non-music projects and partnership under the Def Jam brand. In 1984, Def Jam set out to shatter the notion that rap was a passing fad and to establish Hip-Hop as a dominant force in music and popular culture. Nearly thirty years later, Def Jam has grown from a tiny outsider operation, headquartered in a dorm room at NYU, to one of the most successful, and influential multimedia and lifestyle brands on the planet. Def Jam Enterprises LLC was created by Industry legends Russell Simmons, Lyor Cohen and Kevin Liles after Universal Music Group purchased Def Jam Recordings for more than $150 million dollars in 1998. Def Jam Enterprises, LLC operates as a subsidiary of Rush Communications, LLC.
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Contact:
Jim Gallagher
IMG
(212) 774-4419
jim.gallagher@img.com
Jennifer Bozzelli
IMG
(212) 774-4416
jennifer.bozzelli@img.com
Teresa Lyles-Holmes
UniWorld Group, Inc.
(212) 219-7239
teresa.holmes@uwgny.com
Michelle Alexander
UniWorld Group, Inc.
(646) 413-3396
michelle.alexander@uwgdet.com